Attachment for rakes



May 15, 1951 H. s RHETT ATTACHMENT FOR RAKEs Filed May 17, 1949 INVENTOR. Has/(51.4 SM/THEf/[TZ Patented May 15, 1 951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENT FOR RAKES Haskell Smith Rhett, Wilmington, Calif.

Application May 17, 1949, Serial No. 93,783 3 Claims. (01. 56400.08)

The present invention relates to attachments for rakes and particularly to an attachment for a hand rake of the type commonly utilized in raking lawns and gardens.

It has heretofore been proposed that the operation of the ordinary lawn or garden rake might be improved by utilizing in association therewith an attachment designed and intended to maintain the interdental spaces of the rake free and unclogged. It is common knowledge that the efficiency of the usual garden rake is greatly lowered when the spaces between the teeth of the rake become obstructed by stones, sticks, or other objects and it has been heretofore suggested that a device or attachment primarily intended to perform cleaning functions may with advantage be mounted upon the head of a rake in such manner that it may move relatively to the rake head and teeth and function to remove from between the teeth any objects which have been caught between or picked up by the teeth of the rake. Various types of these rake cleaning attachments have been suggested or proposed but, for one reason or another, have not been made practically available.

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide'a rake head attachment of improved design, simpler than those heretofore proposed, more effective in performing its intended functions, and which may be manufactured easily and at small expense. Essentially the attachment comprises a plurality of elements disposed in the spaces between the teeth of the rake, one such element being located between each two adjacent teeth, together with means for supporting these elements in such manner that theymay move longitudinally of the teeth from a, position adjacent the common member from which all of the teeth spring to a position closely adjacent the outer ends or points of the teeth. Each of these elements, in moving from its innermost to its outermost position, will dislodge articles caught and held by the teeth between which it acts and the attachment is of such nature that all of the cleaning elements move in unison so that by a single operation of the attachment as an entirety all of the interdental spaces of the rake may be cleared at one time.

The elements described are preferably fabricated of sheet metal and rectangular in shape so as to have a substantial bearing area. Each is made as wide as may be without too closely approaching the teeth of the rake. Preferably the attachment comprises a single piece of sheet metal having two panels disposed at an acute angle, a forward panel and a rear panel, each of these two panels being substantially co-extensive in area with the head of the rake and the several interdental cleaning elements being integral with both panels, these elements bridging and connecting adjacent edges of such panels. By a single stamping operation, followed by bending, a cleaning attachment may be quickly fabricated from a sheet of metal and, inasmuch as the forward and rear panels of the attachment diverge, a series of the attachments may be nested together for convenience in storage and shipment. The invention may be varied in minor respects in adapting it to rakes having different characteristics and one form thereof which has proven to be thoroughly effective in actual use is illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the head of a hand rake and the attachment which has been applied thereto, the rake being illustrated in contact with the ground and the attachment having moved to an upper position to permit the lower ends of the rake teeth to function in their normal manner;

Figure 2 is a similar view but showing the rake head elevated and the cleaning attachment in the position to which it moves when the rakev head is lifted;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the rake head and attachment as seen from a point above the ends of the rake teeth;

Figure 4 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the attachment;

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 3, upon a somewhat larger scale;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view, in elevation, of portion of the head of the rake, the interdental cleaning elements being illustrated in full and dotted lines to indicate the extent of travel of these elements, upon their working strokes, relative to the rake teeth; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 showing the attachment with the panels disposed parallel to each other.

The interdental cleaning elements of the attachment are indicated at E0 in the drawings and from an inspection of Figures 3 and 4 it will be observed that each comprises a relatively small, fiat, rectangular sheet metal part. One end of each element Ill is integral with the lower edge of the forward panel ll of the attachment and the opposite end of each such element is in-- tegral with the lower edge of the rear panel I! thereof. The elements II] are relatively wide, as may be seen in Figures 3 and 6, so as to occupy much of the space between adjacent teeth of the rake. The several elements I may, however, move laterally slightly with respect to the teeth. The panels II and I2 are flat and if prolonged would intersect at an acute angle, their free edges being more widely spaced apart than the edges which are connected to the several interdental-elements H].

The forward panel II is provided with a slot l3 to receive the stem M of the head of the rake, and by means of which the rake head is connected to the handle !5. The stem M is, of course, rigidly connected in the usual manner to the elongated member 16 from which the several teeth I! spring, member It with the associated teeth being commonly designated the rake head. Securing elements [8, passing through aligned apertures in the panels II and I2, respectively, bridge :across these panels above member I-6. and thus limit the movement of the attachment with respect to the head in a direction parallel to and toward the points of the teeth. Movement of the attachment in the OD- posite direction is halted when stem .14 contacts with the endof slot iii in panel 11.. There are several apertures in each of the panels H and.

I2 and each such aperture is aligned with one in the adjacent panel so that the attachment :is adjnstably mounted upon the head and :may also be fittedto rake heads the teeth of which vary in length. In every case the adjustmentrwill be :such. that the interdental cleaning elements Ill are disposed .at all times between adjacent teeth, as indicated in Figures 15 and 6., and. may not pass beyond the ends of the teeth. The .securing .devices l8 may be cotter pins as .shown or bolts or other bridging elements, as may be convenient.

,After the attachment has been placed upon the head of the rake the rake is ready for use and will be used in the usual manner in raking ialawn or garden. The attachment will be forced upwardly as the rake is drawnforwardly, the cleaning elements In riding over the soil, grass, or debris which is being raked. When the make lifted to the position shown in Figure 2the 'attachment will fall to the position in which it is shown in that figure, relatively to the rake head, and any leaves, stones, sticks or other material which may have been lightly caught between.

the teeth will thereby be dislodged. In the event that a stone, for instance, is tightly wedged between two teeth the rake head .may be vibrated rather rapidly so that the attachment acts as a hammer upon the clogging article and thus effect its ready dislodgment. Ordinarily, however, the teeth of the rake will be maintained clean by simply lifting the rake out :of engagement with the lawn from time to time.

The attachment can be readily fabricated at a single stamping operation from a :piece of sheet metal, a strip midway between its edges having a series of spaced squares struck out, leaving the interdental cleaning elements 110. The panels II and [2 may then be bentrelative'ly to the plane of the cleaning elements; The slot [3 and the several rows of apertures 20, which are adapted to receive the securing devices 18;, maybe formed during the original r-pu-nching operation. The upper corners of the rear panel l2 may be cut away, as at I211, if desired. The attachment is then readyfor use. It is, of course, readily removable from the rake after use and It is shown in Figure '7 with the panels II and i2 arranged in a parallel relationship, these panels .beingattached to the interdental elements It), and the whole unit positioned on the rake head by means of the securing devices [8.

It is found thata garden rake which is equipped with the attachment will clean the surface of the-ground much more satisfactorily than a similar rake which is not so equipped. This is be- CallSeaDf the action of the leading panell l, which acts to prevent relatiyelysmallobjects from pass ing between the fines of the rake, the elements;

IO resting upon the ground and the panel :in eifect comprising a self-adjusting. impertorate pusher member; The apertures in the attach.-

mentthrough which. the tines pass are of such; dimension that either end of the attachment.

may freely rise, so that the attachment. assumes an inclined position relatively to the head of the rake, from time to time in passing .over rough ground. It will be appreciated also that the-exposed edges of panels I l and 1:2,.im-med'iately before and behind each tine, perform tine cleaning functions as theattachment rises and "falls.

relatively-tothe head of therake.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedsasm'ewanddesired to he securedby LettersPatentisr:

1. An attachment for :a. rake of the type :em. bodying an elongated head having a series inf spaced parallel teeth or tines having pointsfor' contact the ground rigid therewithand a:

handle extending from said head, comprising a: plurality of fiat tooth clearing elements arranged inspaced relationship in .a rectilinear series and in a common plane and positioned..hetween;suc-

cessive teeth, and their lowest position slightly.

abnve the tooth points, "generally parallel for-1.:

ward and rear panels,- saidpanels being :at least coextensive in length with each other and with.

the series .of tooth clearing elements and. each having its lower .edge attached to all elements 0ft that series, and one of said panels having a slot intermediate its ends and extending downwardly I from one longitudinal edge for the reception of said handle.

2. An attachment for a rake of the type em bodying an elongated head having a series of spaced parallel teeth or tines having points for contact with the ground rigid therewith anda handle extending from said head, comprising a plurality :of flat tooth clearing elements arranged in spaced relationship in a rectilinear series and in a common plane and positioned betweensuc cessive teeth, and in their lowest position slightly I above the tooth .points, generally parallel forward and rear panels, said panels being at least coextensive in length with each other and witlithe series of tooth clearing elements andeach having.

its lower edge attached to .all elements .of that; series, thepanels being of :such height as to sub stantially cover the teeth and interdental spaces: when said attachment is in..-10WBI;II1OS13 position;

upon the rake head, and one of said panels haw ing a slot intermediate its ends and extending downwardly from one longitudinal edge for the reception of said handle.

3. Ant attachment for a rake of the type embodying an elongated head having a series of spaced parallel teeth or tines having points for contact with the ground rigid therewith and a handle extending from said head, comprising a plurality of fiat tooth clearing elements arranged in spaced relationship in rectilinear series and in 10 a common plane and positioned between successive teeth, and in their lowest position slightly above the tooth points, generally parallel forward and rear panels, said panels being at least coextensive in length with each other and with the in series of tooth clearing elements and each having its lower edge attached to all elements of that series, the panels being of such height as to sub- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Moork Nov. 28, 1933 Number 

